NEW YORK'S TWO HIPPEST MUSICALS ARE OUT ON CD. ARE THEY STILL HIP AS ALBUMS IN THEIR OWN RIGHT?

Broadway, almost by definition, is an elitist place. It's located in a single area in a single city; the tickets are pricey, and the shows often appeal to glitzy, tuxedo-wearing values from a seemingly bygone era. But two of Broadway's biggest recent hits, the rock opera Rent and the tap-dance epic Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk, in some respects stand in opposition to all that. Rent is about fighting landlords and hiv; Noise/Funk is about struggling with the Man, racist cab drivers and whitewashed history. Still, despite the populist appeal of these shows, you can see them in...